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Zooming on the internal structure of $z\simeq6$ galaxies

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Ferrara, A 
Gallerani, S 
Vallini, L 

Abstract

We present zoom-in, AMR, high-resolution (≃30 pc) simulations of high-redshift (z≃6) galaxies with the aim of characterizing their internal properties and interstellar medium. Among other features, we adopt a star formation model based on a physically-sound molecular hydrogen prescription, and introduce a novel scheme for supernova feedback, stellar winds and dust-mediated radiation pressure. In the zoom-in simulation the target halo hosts "Dahlia", a galaxy with a stellar mass M∗=1.6×1010M, representative of a typical z∼6 Lyman Break Galaxy. Dahlia has a total H2 mass of 108.5M, that is mainly concentrated in a disk-like structure of effective radius ≃0.6 kpc and scale height ≃200 pc. Frequent mergers drive fresh gas towards the center of the disk, sustaining a star formation rate per unit area of $\simeq 15 M_\odot$ yr−1 kpc−2. The disk is composed by dense (n≳25 cm−3), metal-rich ($Z \simeq 0.5 $ Z) gas, that is pressure-supported by radiation. We compute the 158μm [CII] emission arising from Dahlia, and find that ≃95% of the total [CII] luminosity (L[CII]≃107.5 L) arises from the H2 disk. Although 30% of the CII mass is transported out of the disk by outflows, such gas negligibly contributes to [CII] emission, due to its low density (n≲10 cm−3) and metallicity (Z≲10−1Z). Dahlia is under-luminous with respect to the local [CII]-SFR relation; however, its luminosity is consistent with upper limits derived for most z∼6 galaxies.

Description

Keywords

methods: numerical, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: formation, galaxies: highredshift, galaxies: ISM, infrared: general

Journal Title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0035-8711
1365-2966

Volume Title

465

Publisher

Oxford University Press
Sponsorship
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/K003119/1)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/M001172/1)
European Research Council (695671)
This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. NSF PHY11-25915. SS was supported by the European Research Council through a Marie–Skodolowska–Curie Fellowship, project PRIMORDIAL-700907. RM acknowledges support from the ERC Advanced Grant 695671 ‘QUENCH’ and from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).